Ferrari Boss Fred Vasseur Gives Mixed Verdict on New F1 Rules: “I Have Mixed Feelings”

Ferrari Boss Fred Vasseur Gives Mixed Verdict on New F1 Rules: “I Have Mixed Feelings”

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has delivered a measured assessment of Formula 1’s current technical regulations, admitting that he has “mixed feelings” about the direction of the sport while acknowledging that the new rules have created more strategic complexity during races.

Vasseur’s comments, reported by GPblog from an interview with French publication Auto Hebdo, come as Formula 1 continues to debate the impact of its latest regulations on racing, overtaking and the technical challenge faced by drivers and teams.

The Ferrari boss believes the current rules have made races more open, particularly because drivers must carefully manage their energy deployment rather than simply relying on the previous DRS overtaking system.

“As a motorsport fan, races are undoubtedly more open than before,” Vasseur said. “You could say they're a little artificial, but less so than when there was DRS.”

He added that the current system requires drivers to think strategically about how and when they use their available energy.

“Now you have to manage your energy and think about when to use it so as not to find yourself with a flat battery for the rest of the lap,” Vasseur explained.

Spa restart highlights energy-management challenge

Vasseur pointed to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps as an example of how energy management has become an important part of modern F1 racing.

According to the Ferrari team principal, teams approached the restart after the Safety Car in different ways, with some attempting to recover energy before the start line while others tried to sacrifice track position in preparation for the acceleration phase.

“The restart at Spa after the Safety Car is a good example,” Vasseur said. “Some teams recovered energy before the start line, others tried to lose some ground before the line to have more energy for the restart.”

Although Vasseur acknowledged that such tactics may not represent traditional wheel-to-wheel racing, he argued that they still demand skill and strategic thinking from drivers.

“Maybe it's not pure racing, but it's still the use of skill, and for me that's the positive side,” he said.

Vasseur concerned about reduced engine challenge

However, Vasseur also identified a significant drawback in the current regulations: the balance between chassis development and engine power.

The Ferrari boss argued that continued progress with the chassis, combined with reduced average engine power, has changed the character of some of Formula 1’s famous high-speed corners.

“The downside is that we continue to progress on the chassis, while reducing engine thrust, I mean average power,” Vasseur said.

He specifically referenced Pouhon at Spa-Francorchamps and Copse at Silverstone, arguing that these corners no longer provide the same level of challenge they once did.

“Certain corners like Pouhon at Spa or Copse at Silverstone are no longer real corners,” he said.

Vasseur also recalled how demanding famous sections such as Raidillon and Blanchimont were earlier in his career.

“When I started, Radillon, Blanchimont, and Pouhon were just corners,” he said. “Today, you go flat out all the way back to the pits.”

Ferrari expects changes ahead

Despite his criticism, Vasseur believes the regulations can be adjusted in the coming seasons.

He suggested that changes between 2027 and 2028 could help restore a better balance between combustion-engine and electric power while maintaining the same maximum output.

“But I think that between 2027 and 2028, we will correct this, rebalancing the thermal/electric ratio, while maintaining the same maximum power,” Vasseur concluded.

Vasseur’s comments add to the ongoing discussion surrounding Formula 1’s technical direction. The current regulations have generated debate among drivers, teams and fans, with different opinions over whether the new technical philosophy has improved the quality of racing.

For Ferrari, the debate comes during a period in which the team has shown improved competitiveness, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both securing victories during the 2026 campaign.

Vasseur’s assessment therefore reflects a nuanced position: he sees clear benefits in the strategic complexity created by energy management, but believes Formula 1 must ensure that technological progress does not come at the expense of the physical and technical challenge traditionally associated with its most iconic corners.

The debate over the regulations is likely to continue as Formula 1 looks toward future technical adjustments and attempts to balance efficiency, competition, spectacle and the demands placed on drivers.

Analysis: Fred Vasseur’s Mixed Verdict Reveals the Difficult Balance Behind F1’s New Regulations

Fred Vasseur’s comments provide an interesting insight into one of Formula 1’s biggest ongoing debates: how far the sport should allow technology and energy management to influence the outcome of a race. Rather than completely rejecting the current regulations, the Ferrari team principal appears to recognize that they have introduced new strategic dimensions while questioning whether some of the traditional challenges of driving an F1 car have been weakened.

The most important part of Vasseur’s assessment is his distinction between “pure racing” and skill. His comments suggest that modern Formula 1 has not necessarily removed driver skill; instead, it has changed the type of skill required. Drivers now have to consider energy deployment, battery recovery and race positioning alongside braking points, tyre management and overtaking.

The Belgian Grand Prix example illustrates this change particularly well. A restart after a Safety Car is traditionally associated with drivers trying to maximize acceleration and attack immediately. Under the current regulations described by Vasseur, however, preparation for the restart can begin well before the racing resumes. Teams may sacrifice position or alter their energy strategy in anticipation of the crucial acceleration phase.

That creates an additional layer of strategy, but it also raises an important question: does greater technical complexity automatically mean better racing?

Vasseur appears unconvinced. His criticism of corners such as Pouhon and Copse is significant because these sections are historically associated with the bravery and precision required to drive an F1 car at extremely high speed. If improved chassis performance allows drivers to negotiate such corners more easily, then the sport may gain efficiency while losing some of the dramatic challenge that made those sections iconic.

This is where the future regulation changes mentioned by Vasseur become particularly interesting. His suggestion that Formula 1 could rebalance thermal and electric power while maintaining maximum output indicates that the debate is not necessarily about abandoning hybrid technology. Instead, the objective could be to find a better relationship between electrical efficiency, combustion power and aerodynamic performance.

For Ferrari, this discussion also carries competitive significance. The team has experienced a more competitive 2026 campaign, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both winning races. As a result, Vasseur’s remarks should not simply be interpreted as criticism from a team struggling to compete. Ferrari has reasons to be encouraged by its current performance while still questioning aspects of the technical framework.

The wider debate will ultimately come down to what Formula 1 wants its cars to represent. Modern F1 is increasingly dependent on sophisticated energy systems, advanced aerodynamics and complex strategic calculations. Those elements are part of the sport’s technological identity. However, there is also a strong argument that the cars should remain sufficiently demanding for drivers to feel that iconic corners genuinely test their courage and ability.

Vasseur’s “mixed feelings” therefore make sense. The current regulations may have created more strategic possibilities, but Formula 1 must still ensure that technological progress does not make the driving challenge less distinctive.

The coming regulatory adjustments could be crucial. If the sport can preserve the strategic benefits of energy management while restoring more of the physical and technical difficulty of high-speed corners, it may achieve a stronger balance between modern technology and traditional F1 racing.

Source: GPblog, based on Fred Vasseur’s interview with Auto Hebdo.